There seems to be one (or more) in every workplace: the “over sharer” or unregulated speaker. This is the person who has not quite mastered the “think before you speak” philosophy, who has yet to realize that “loose lips sink ships.”
In the professional world, this behavior often manifests itself in the workplace as an inappropriate joke, sharing too much personal information or leaking confidential company data. And while this person can be a challenge to work with on a day to day basis, they can be downright catastrophic as a reference, providing much more information than is warranted or requested (or prudent) to a potential employer.
With 30 years as a reference checking and reference consulting company, Allison & Taylor has heard it all: discrimination in many forms, references explaining the relationships / sleeping habits of former employees, HR Managers refusing to comment until the “litigation is complete” and Board Members who say “Are you sure he listed me as a reference?”
If you are considering or in the midst of a career change, and suspect that someone may provide negative input as a reference, take the proactive step of a reference check… before the office “over sharer” has a chance to torpedo your chances of landing that great new job. Professional reference checking may have one or more objectives, e.g. damage control, name clearing, warning the former employer that the employee is in the marketplace [the sanguine employer realizing it does have a duty to mitigate both its and its former employee’s damages], extending the opportunity to the former employer to aid the former employee in securing employment so the former employee can discontinue unemployment compensation chargeable to the employer, etc.
In my next blog I will look at three common reference scenarios where references offer too much information, and what can be done.
Here is what one Allison and Taylor client had to say after using our services to verify her references:
“I so appreciate your service. You have helped me out immensely. Please thank the consultant who was able to reach my reference.”
Don’t allow yourself to be surprised and sabotaged by an unfavorable reference. A simple reference check, conducted by a professional agency such as Allison & Taylor, can tell you definitively whether or not a reference is providing a positive, professional response to inquiries made about you.
if you would like more information about Allison and Taylor, Inc.’s reference verification services or if you are ready for Allison and Taylor, Inc. to help you please visit our website here.